The Gingrich Compendium

Despite predictions by many to the contrary, Newt Gingrich's run for the 2012 GOP nomination is picking up steam. There are lots of great stories and videos posted every day, but very few clearinghouses for all of the information. This is my attempt to gather as much as possible in a single location - and because I am a supporter, this will be shamelessly pro-Newt.

Stat Counter

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Noel Sheppard at the website News Busters has a great post today on Newt Gingrich's recent appearance on the Larry King ... whoops, Piers Morgan ... show. As you watch the clip Noel posted, and read along with the transcript, you can see quickly that Newt will have none of Piers trying to lecture him on the "reality of politics" - and it becomes apparent, as Noel points out, that Piers' facial expression gives away the fact that he is being bested (to put it politely).

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Newt Gingrich, in his November 2 appearance at the Duluth, Georgia Presidential Forum, demonstrated the energy and intelligence that are winning over voters and increasingly driving up his poll numbers. He was greeted at the outset by "thunderous applause", and his discussion of his 21st Century Contract with America and the executive orders he would sign on his first day in office only energized the crowd more. (Read the full story here.)

Monday, October 31, 2011

The October 31, 2011 edition of Human Events magazine has a great cover story interview with Newt. Here is the opening paragraph:

"Political experts all agreed over the summer that Newt Gingrich​’s candidacy was done. But Gingrich never got the message. In a volatile election cycle, Gingrich has battled his way back into contention, rising to third place in several national and state polls on the force of his ideas and breadth of knowledge of how Washington does and does not work. After nationally televised debates and local town halls, Gingrich has made voters want to give him a second look, especially after he speaks emphatically about American Exceptionalism and about bureaucrats and unelected judges who threaten to undermine it. His fundraising, endorsements and momentum have surged, and he has used his high name identification, his multiple multimedia platforms, and new technologies to get his message and ideas out."

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Allow me to be blunt for just a moment and say that I am sick to death of the "urban legend" that has grown up about Newt and his divorce from his first wife (the infamous "he served her the divorce papers while she was in the hospital" tale). As is the case with so many other stories over the years, the myth has far outgrown the truth - and no one seems very interested in learning that truth.

Thankfully, Jacke Cushman - Newt's daughter from that first marriage - has penned a column setting the record straight. People can take 30 seconds to spread a rumor; are they willing to take a few minutes to learn the truth?

Thursday, October 27, 2011

"Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has a strategy to stay competitive through 2012's early primaries and caucuses: stay positive, focus on ideas, and campaign slow and steady. 'I think we have the tortoise campaign,' he says. 'We've seen several rabbits run by and then fall asleep, so now we just want to keep moving forward.'

Gingrich, who spoke with reporters at a National Republican Lawyers Association event on Capitol Hill Wednesday night, is optimistic he'll finish in the top two or three in New Hampshire and Iowa, and he thinks he'll win South Carolina. In fact, he points to his third place slot in Tuesday's CBS/New York Times poll: Sen. John McCain also polled third at this point in 2007, behind former New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani and former Sen. Fred Thomson, before going on to win the nomination. 'I think the odds are very good I'll be the nominee," he says. "I think you'll see a very idea-oriented, very positive campaign in the next 30 days." (Read the full story here.)

"Newt Gingrich’s campaign was left for dead a few months ago, as campaign debt expanded and his campaign staff deserted him for Rick Perry and other campaigns. He is still in debt, but his performance in the debates have allowed him to stay in the race as he now is behind Herman Cain and Mitt Romney but ahead of others including Perry. The question remains, can Newt actually win? Let’s be blunt, he will be the first thrice divorced American to be elected President, and that is hardly something one campaigns on. Alos, his present wife is the woman he had an affair with when married to wife number two. So the questions remains, can a man whose past life has been hardly a model of tranquility win?

"Going into the race, Gingrich had three things against him. The first was his personal life; the second was his thirst for playing with ideas. There was no idea too small to investigate or consider and there were times that Gingrich would stick his neck out for some ideas not worth considering, and when he appeared with Nancy Pelosi for some green initiative on a TV ad, it was Gingrich being Gingrich. The third was, and still is, his campaign has no money and no organization to speak of. All he had is his voice and ideas, though most of them good." (Read the rest of Tom's post here.)

About Me

Frederick Buechner once wrote, “The grace of God means something like: Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are because the party wouldn't have been complete without you.” I'm a 40-something husband and father who is trying to figure out my place at the party and learning all I can along the way about religion, education, politics, and anything else that comes up on the journey.